Polymers and copolymers of acrylic acid MRI of the digestive tract of patients
AssigneeBracco International B.V.
InventorsHerve Tournier, Roland Hyacinthe, Friedrich Cavagna
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Abstract
Suspensions of either echogenic or magnetic particles in aqueous bioadhesive carriers effectively improve imaging by echography, respectively NMRI, of the digestive tract. Affinity of the compositions for the gastric mucosa can be adapted to the needs by appropriately selecting the carrier in function to inherent bioadhesive capacity: this technique leads to improved visualization of selected portions of the lumen.
Claims7
A method of manufacturing an ingestible composition for enhancing contrast in NMR imaging of the digestive tract of humans and animals, said composition comprising magnetically responsive particles bound to a polymer or copolymer of acrylic acid, the method comprising:
- (a) selecting a coupler with at least two reactive functions, wherein one of said reactive functions is a double bond capable of copolymerizing with acrylic acid;
- (b) grafting the coupler to said magnetically responsive particles through one of said reactive functions and;
- (c) binding said grafted particles to said polymer or copolymer of acrylic acid through the other of said reactive functions.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.